Weekend Revolution

Once again, Revolution’s got the hook up for national acts, and this weekend’s only part of it. (I’ll get to next week’s stuff next week.)

I could take or leave Saturday's “Radio Rebellion Tour,” featuring Norma Jean, Between the Buried and Me, Fear Before the March of Flames, etc. I’m just not down with the post-hardcore thing (or praising Jesus at a rock club, for that matter). But that’s OK because later that night, Revolution’s new monthly hip-hop night, the Hip-Hop Reality Show, takes over at 11 p.m.

Miami's Brimstone127 plays host to a lineup of local rhymers (Protoman and Dynas) and DJs (Stevie D and De La Soul’s Maseo). But it is a reality show, and that doesn’t just mean they’re “keepin’ it real” (though, that’s true too, cliché or not). There’ll be a video screen showing behind-the-scenes footage of the performers in the studio, at home, or wherever. And if you see some dude with a video camera aimed your way, chances are you’ll end up onscreen soon enough.

On Sunday, it’s back to the rock, with indie-flavored power-poppers Say Anything (left, photo by Laura Kirsch) headlining, along with Mewithoutyou, Piebald, and Days Away. A lot of older, “grown-up” rockers like to lump Say Anything in with the Fall Out Boy crowd. But that’s not really fair. Yeah, the band’s vocalist, Max Bemis, does sound like he took a few emo vocal lessons. But if you listen past that, you’ll hear a band that’s record collection precedes Green Day. Whiney vocals aside, Say Anything’s “Alive With the Glory of Love” sounds a lot like the Smiths' "This Charming Man." Now, if you don’t like that song, Fats can’t help you. But a lot of people do, and when a band like Say Anything carries the ´80s indie-pop torch for the younger generation, you gotta give ‘em credit. It doesn’t happen often.